Fall from Grace
by Derekv
Summary: Post Season 3x10. Lourdes is still carrying eyeworms. Ben comes in for his shift in guarding her and they have a conversation. Oneshot. My second Fanfic.


"Ben Mason reporting for guard duty, sir."

The cell doors opened with a clank as he strode forth into the room.

Just beyond the cold, shining silver bars sat Lourdes Delgado, the resident mole of Charleston. The shock came like a stab to the heart to the community and people. And him most of all. How had the aliens gotten dozens of eyeworms into her without anyone being the wiser?

He paced the floor in front of her cell uneasily. It was hard to reconcile this mysterious and deceptive girl with the innocent, selfless and compassionate medic that he knew before.

This Lourdes…he didn't know what she was capable of. It sent chills down his spine.

She followed his movements with dark brown eyes, silent, observing.

Dr. Anne Glass came in and greeted Ben with a smile that belied her true emotions.

"How is she?"

"Fine. The eyeworm removing equipment was damaged in the explosions. She'll just have to be in here for a while until they repair the machine."

Anne nodded and Lourdes watched her leave the room, a wicked smirk forming on her lips. It was an impression of her usual sweet smiles, but he could see the malice behind it. Her smiles were some one of the only things that he held dear to his heart. They could light up a room, make the tension and horrors of war melt away.

It was that positive energy that kept him going. Now…it was like a piece of him had gone. Gone were her innocent smiles, replaced by mischievous and vindictive ones.

"Ben." She called his name in a sweet sing-song voice. Her face was all innocence, false sad eyes looking up at him with a pleading expression.

"Please let me out, I swear I'm better now. The bugs flew out after the explosion at Charleston."

"No." Ben swiveled on his heel and walked up to the cell bars. "You're not her. You will never be Lourdes."

"Of course I am!" She smiled innocently and stood up, walking up to press herself against them.

"Pleeeease? I'll be a good girl, I promise!"

Her tone was just as kind as before but there was something else in her voice, something that he couldn't identify. Ancient. Seductive. Inscrutable.

He scowled. "Lourdes would never say something like that. Stop playing dumb and drop the innocent routine."

Somehow her grin grew wider, taking up her whole face and showing her white teeth.

"It's useless, you know. It will all end anyway." She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "The Espheni have weapons that can obliterate Charleston in mere days. You'd do well to join our side."

"Never." Ben's jaw set and his face formed an expression like iron. "I'll fight the Espheni until my last breath."

Lourdes broke into girlish giggles, the sound that passed her lips so unlike her that he couldn't help but gape.

"Don't be like that. I understand it's a hard choice, but I already have made mine. And so can you. Every one of the Second Mass can."

Her shadowy brown eyes pierced into his emerald ones, staring into him.

"Ben, you can be at peace with your spikes. No one will judge you, you'll be revered, loved, cared for, it's what you've always wanted, isn't it? For someone to care about you for who you are?"

She reached out from the cell and intertwined her hands through his, speaking to him in a soft and soothing murmur. It was identical to what Lourdes would do when comforting him. Exactly identical.

_They knew. _

_One touch from her, one hug, and she could break down all of the barriers I worked so hard to erect. _

_I could never shut her out._

_Perhaps it was because I shut almost everyone else out. _

"The harness is a process, Ben. You will eventually come back where you belong, with us. It is inevitable. I'm trying to help you. We've comforted each other through the worst of times, and rejoiced with the best. Like when you comforted me over the death of my lover Jamil?"

"H-how do you know that?" He blinked in surprise, thrown off guard.

"I'm just looking out for you. Don't shut me out now."

She was just trying to psychologically manipulate him. Manipulating Lourdes' normally pure soothing words and comforting touches to subtly lull and seduce.

He fought off the temptation to give in and ripped his hands from her grip, stepping back several feet.

"I'll join you when Hell freezes over." He spat vehemently.

She raised her eyebrows and tilted her head so he could see the eyeworms crawling around her face.

"Then you'll join me sooner than you think."

He turned his back on her and walked off into the open for some fresh air, just as the crescent moon reached the pinnacle of its skyward journey.


End file.
